With just one week left to enter this year’s Effective Mobile Marketing Awards, we reached out to a selection of the judging panel to ask them what they look for in an award-winning entry. Here’s what they had to say…

Kim de Reuter, brand marketing lead, Samsung Europe:
‘’Producing a winning entry is like making a great cake – the ingredients can all be there, but they have to be mixed in the right way in the right quantity and baked to perfection to produce a good result. Innovate, but ensure the innovation is meaningful and resonates with your target audience.

“Features are fantastic, but not if they are over-engineered in a ‘’style over substance’ manner. Often simplicity really is beautiful – a great execution based on consumer or market insight. Results and ROI are also critical. How did the work perform against the success criteria established at the outset? Successful campaigns and applications don’t have to imply large scale and significant spend, but they do have to be a best in class example of what they were designed to achieve’’.

Jessica Stephens, chief marketing officer, SmartFocus:
“I would be looking for anything that harnesses the power of mobile to deliver true contextual marketing which could involve including the context of the customer, like location, weather, activity, in a campaign or program; understanding the persona of the customer (and therefore likely tying in social data); using a combination of the above, delivering significant volumes of sales or an excellent ROI; and anything that trusts the machines. So combining AI and machine learning to deliver an even better result.”

Mark Challinor, CEO, Media Futures and president, INMA:
“Really what I look for is all down to four things: Great creativity. Good use of mobile technology and features. The ability to create meaningful data. And an exceptional user experience.”

Rob Thurner, managing partner, Burn The Sky:
“Im looking for proof the entry tackles a clearly defined business problem (whether campaign-led, or industry based). I also want proof that they have assessed the many options, stated commercial goals, and built in tracking to prove objectives have been hit. Creative ideas stand out; supporting materials should tip the balance if its a two-horse race in the final reckoning.”

Hannah Buitekant, GM, programmatic, Mail Online:
“I am looking for innovation with purpose.”

James Chandler, global mobile director, Mindshare:
“I’ll be looking at results that have genuinely impacted a brand’s business and that could only have happened due to mobile changing someone’s behaviour in a winning entry.”

Steve Ricketts, MD, ATAO: 
“With an effectiveness awards, the entry must clearly demonstrate effectiveness – but it is surprising how many do not include useful measures! I also look for a simple explanation of what it is and how it worked to support the case for originality, quality of execution and effectiveness in this competitive space. Did I mention effectiveness?”

Nick Lane, chief analyst, Mobilesquared:
“I am looking for actual data that backs up all their blurb and demonstrates a clear ROI. Not looking for cool, just effectiveness.”

Andy Favell, digital/mobile consultant and web editor:
“I look for quantifiable evidence that the entry has made a real long-term difference to/impact on to the user. If it’s a mobile marketing campaign, I want to see ROI – hard numbers about long-term customers delivered and revenue generated, not fluffy percentage increases or meaningless metrics.”

David Skerrett, managing partner, Nimbletank:
“Personally I look for a highly polished customer experience or advertising idea that helps solve a problem worth solving, that is backed up by impactful meaningful results.”

Alex Klose, head of marketing, IMImobile:
“I will be looking for entries that demonstrate the perfect blend of creativity and use of innovative mobile technology. But beyond that I’m looking for evidence of real business impact. Mobile has the power to transform any business, campaign or customer engagement – That’s what I expect to see and I cannot wait to get involved.”

Stephen Jenkins, marketing director, Voluum:
“When judging any shortlisted campaign, I am looking for that soupçon of an original idea – or, to misquote TS Eliot, at least the thoughtful stealing of someone elses! Primarily though, I want to see that the marketer has applied first principles and thought carefully about the audience and the emotional response they are attempting to elicit. For the EMMAs in particular, Im also excited to see ideas that leverage any of the many unique characteristics of the mobile creative canvass.”

Hugh Griffiths, interim CEO, PocketApp:
“I would be looking for 2 things. Firstly, the best Design (both UX and UI). And secondly, the effectiveness, by which I mean, the best ROI against the specified objectives.

Mark Cody, head of mobile products and services, Camelot:
“What I look for from an award entry is careful consideration of the customer journey and how using mobile, it’s been improved. I’m not a fan of using technology for the sake of it, so it’s key to validate its use by making the experience easier, quicker or more engaging in a way that benefits the customer. There needs to be a strong case for validating its success with real data that backs up the entry.”

Elaine Smith, head of digital product management, House of Fraser:
“I really look for something that shows innovation and a point of difference. In today’s market, its important to stand out from the competition.”

Milton Elias, head of mobile & tech futures, OMD:
“A winning entry always needs clear evidence of audience insight, originality, creativity in strategy/execution, and strong results.”

The final deadline to enter the Effective Mobile Marketing Awards is midnight (UK time) Friday, 19 August 2016. There’s more information about the Awards here. And you can submit your entries here. Good luck!